According to a report released by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on January 31st, Japan’s housing starts in December 2017 were 76,751 units (down -2.1 per cent from the same month in the previous year), falling below the previous year’s results for six consecutive months, according to the Japan Lumber Journal Thursday.
When compared to the previous month, the figure decreased by -9.4 per cent and the seasonally-adjusted annual rate was 936,000 units (down -2.7 per cent from the previous month).
Japan Housing Starts: December 2017
Japan’s starts of owner-occupied houses were 23,288 units (down -2.5 per cent from the same month of the previous year), falling below the previous year’s results for seven month in a row.
Of the built-for-sale houses, condominiums were 7,422 units (down -11 per cent).
Starts of 2×4 houses were 9,979 units (down -3.1 per cent), falling below 10,000 units for the first time in seven months and decreasing for six consecutive months year-on-year.
By structure, housing starts of wooden houses were 45,452 units (down -1.1 per cent), and non-wooden houses were 31,299 units (down -3.5 per cent). The ratio of wooden houses by the number of units increased by 0.3 points from the previous month, to 59.2 per cent, detailed the Journal.